LeagueNews.co | Nick Loken
The mighty Brisbane Broncos have shown exceptional composure to narrowly defeat the Sea Eagles 13-12 in a heart-pounding Magic Round showdown at a packed Suncorp Stadium.
Playmaker Jock Madden and fullback Selwyn Cobbo were absolute stars with the ball, while forwards Payne Haas, Corey Jensen, and Pat Carrigan held down the fort in the middle with their usual tenacity.
The Broncos made a blistering start in front of a raucous crowd, capitalizing on a fumbled bomb by Manly to set up a scintillating try for Brendan Piakura in the 6th minute.
Kotoni Staggs added the extras to give Brisbane a 6-0 lead, setting the tone for a dominant display.
Fullback Selwyn Cobbo displayed sheer brilliance, evading four defenders in an electrifying kick return that saw him race 50 meters down the field.
However, the Sea Eagles' Taniela Paseka was sinbinned for an offside play when trying to stop Stagg's subsequent run.
With the numerical advantage, Brisbane unleashed some dazzling attacking plays on the right side, culminating in Deine Mariner crossing the try line thanks to a clever pass from Ezra Mam.
Staggs nailed the touchline conversion to extend the Broncos' lead to 12-0 after just 12 minutes.
The game then evolved into a fierce battle with both teams fighting tooth and nail for supremacy.
The Broncos' defense held strong, with debutant Josiah Karapani making crucial try-saving tackles to thwart Manly's repeated assaults on their try line.